January 27, 2015

        Don't talk turkeys with many of our residents! These huge birds have no manners and try to dominate wherever they decide to take up occupation. They eat the feed that our farmers have intended for domestic animals, they poop all over the place whether it be a barnyard, a feeding lot, a sidewalk or yard. Around here turkeys are increasing in numbers, it has been noted in the lower half of our community and they are scattered all over the middle of the village center.

         Brigham Wilcox, son of Eldon and Danita Wilcox, has been living back amongst us for a few weeks. He has been studying pharmacy at Idaho State University and is now doing a 6 week internship at Preston Drug with the Craig Haslam family. Brigham's wife, Jennifer, and their children are at their home in Idaho Falls.

          It is nearing the end of the wrestling season for the grapplers of Preston High School. Mink Creek has four young men on the squad this years. They are Justin Longhurst, son of Candy and Sheldon Longhurst, Ben and Sam Seamons, sons of Jeff and Jennifer Seamons, and Travis Greene, son of Chad and Dawnell Greene.

        This week there have been memorial services for Nathan Parker, prior to his burial in the Mink Creek Cemetery. He is the son of the late Pam and David Linton, former residents, a brother to Jesse Parker, now residing here. Another brother, Matthew, lived here previously. Nettie and Joe Linton, David's brother, also former residents, now of Logan enjoyed the return to our community.

         The Agricultural Expo, currently going on at the Holt Arena in Pocatello has attracted some of our farmers. It makes for good entertainment and information on these winter days when much of farming is at a standstill. 

           Still so dry around here, a dry winter.  Low lying clouds leave something akin to heavy dew on some mornings.  It is still cold, but cold and dry only make for lots of static electricity.  Even our fields are mostly bare of white patches.

           The cluster of winged scavengers along the roadsides makes a person aware that there has been yet another deer fatality as we make the trip from Mink Creek into Preston.  There are four such spots currently under observation.  Every so often the carcass of a racoon might add to the carnage.  Drivers beware, the critters come close to the highway seeking the salt from the winter road runoff.

 

January 20, 2015

            Kerry and Lacey Christensen are the happy parents of a baby boy. In addition to his parents this infant is welcomed into the family by three sisters who are determined to spoil him as much as possible. They are already working on teaching him the ABC's.

            David and Judy Wilde enjoyed a visit from Judy's sister, Susan Robison and her son from Elko, NV. Susan was here to celebrate the marriage of Judy's twin, Trudy. Trudy's son, Aaron Brown who resides in Kansas, stayed with the Wilde family for two weeks for this event.

            Winter, the season for basketball. Our community has both a boys' team and a girls' team. Richard Free is coaching the young men and Kerry Christensen will continue to be the coach for the young women. Both teams will be competing with other youth teams from the Preston North Stake.

            Marlene Christensen has welcomed a new couple, Josh and Elizabeth Greene, into her home. Josh calls Marlene “Grandma,” which is not quite biologically correct, and Elizabeth is better known as Lizzie.

             Michelle and Tracy  Gibbs are becoming part of our community. They have bought the Maple Grove Hot Springs on the Bear River. They are moving into a home with Mink Creek history, one that has been here for several generations. Most recently it was owned by Mark and Debbie Baird Heaton.

               The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints' meetinghouse is in the process of a routine maintenance boost. Some of the rooms are being painted and upgraded, scuffed walls repaired, all that sort of thing. There has even been some changes in the artwork displayed. This building was built in 1929 and has some nice features still from that era.

              Mike Jepsen has recently had some back surgery in Logan. He is now home and doing well. In fact he is determined to undertake more tasks than advisable.

               I am too much out of the blog habit, sorry about this being late online.   I feel guilty when it dawns on me Wednesday morning after the Citizen is published that this blog is now one day behind for those who read the paper edition.  I will work on getting back into the swing of things.

             The winter is not going as hoped for.  It is strange to complain about sunshine, but  when a good snow pack is hoped for and the weather continues to be dry and sunny---well, complaints come to mind.  People  down across northern Cache Vally who are dependent on the waters supplied by Mink Creek  are beginning to ask questions about the coming year's possibilities.

             This situation is not discouraging the snow mobile crowd.  They flock to our mountains every weekend, indicating that there is sufficient white stuff to accommodate that activity.

January 13, 2015

         The Freeman &Ada Jepsen Christmas party of their descendents took place at the family farm over the holidays. JoAnn an Kevin Auger and family are in the area of Woodland Hills, UT. Dan and Jean and their bunch are in Bountiful, UT. Glen and Betty Jo Jepsen family have their headquarters here in Mink Creek. Melinda and Kerry Jepsen hosted the event. Kyle Jepsen took a break from his dental practice in Texas, Jana Musgrove and her children of North Ogden enjoyed the extended family fun.

          Payton and Judith Newby have a brand new baby at their house. Grandma, Sharla McKay, spent a few days enjoying some good cuddle time.

           Brittany and Matt Durrant and their little girl visited with her parents, Eldon and Danita Wilcox.  Matt is currently studying at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

           Karen and Mark Arnout had a home bursting at the seams during the two weeks of holidays. The couple have twenty-two grandchildren and all of them, plus parents, spent a few days with Grandma and Grandpa Arnout. Now the Arnouts are noticing the quiet at their house.

           Johnny and Jeannine Iverson have had a visit from daughter Rebeccah and Dane Jones and their four children from Washougal, WA. They loved some snow time, a change from the rainy northwest.

           Our community gathered for our annual Ski Party at Beaver Ski Resort up Logan Canyon. The event combined with the folks from Preston 4^th Ward. It is always a potluck affair for the food offerings and the variety never fails. There was a good turnout of all ages and the slopes were filled with skiers and snowboarders until it was closing time.

           Bill and Myrna Despain were happy to have his son Max and Jennifer Despain and theis children, Jordan and Jake, with them during the holidays. Max and Jennifer live in Lolo, MT.

           Mink Creek seems to be located on the edge of the northern Cache Valley fog line lately.  Most days we can look westward and see the fog lying in the lower parts of the valley, tendrils reaching in and out on the fringes.  This morning was a bit strange, with fog on the lower side of my home, but clear sky on the upper side.  (For readers unfamiliar with our local terrain, it is all slopes of one degree or another, the homes sitting on the slopes.)  One evening earlier this past week, it was fog all around, couldn't even see our farm buildings across the road.  That is the story of fog, ever changing, and one of the dangers that accompany moving through the stuff.  Please, drivers, turn on your lights when you find yourself surrounded by the stuff, whether thick or thin.

           We are still hoping for more snow.  Rain has been coming, but that doesn't store in the mountains for the times when it is needed this planting season.  At this rate we can't anticipate a "January thaw" since there is very little for thawing.

2015, #1

Happy 2015! Christmas morning arrived with a blanket of white snow for our village, It is picture-postcard beautiful! However the snow shifted around a few days later when a fierce wind visited all night and created drifts in some driveways while it cleaned other driveways out. The temperatures plummeted and we are now surviving in subzero degrees. Most homes are grateful for heat from wood burning stoves.

        Cody McKay , son of Paul and Terrie McKay, reported on his mission to the Alabama, Birmingham, Mission on the last Sunday of December. His extended family were all able to attend. Grandparent, Karen and Layne Erickson are Mink Creek residents. Bryan and Shannon Erickson and boys came from Woodland Hills, UT. Todd and Julie Kunz and children dropped down from Idaho Falls. Connie and Adam Westenskow drove from Logan. Parents of a recent companion, Elder Fredrickson, of Bountiful, UT, joined the congregation. Cousins, Carla and Mark Nielsen and boys of American Fork, UT, planned their holiday visit with her parents, Bob and Claudia Erickson, for this event.

        Mike and Mary Ann Jepsen have had daughter Annie and Steve Earl and children with them for some of the holiday. The Earls live in San Jose, CA, so snow time is a treat.

         Marie Aupperlee's daughter, Sandra Wiley, from Texas, has been visiting her mother. At the present time Sandy has traveled to Rock Springs, WY, spending some time with her daughter, Mona.

         Jake and Holly Longhurst were with his family, Sheldon and Candy, for a few days. Jake ha been working in Fiji, helping to cover the roof of the Fiji LDS Temple. Holly is still stateside, attending school in Orem.

          Steve and Terry Mainini were happy to have visits with their sons over the holidays. Mario came up from Richmond and Tony had a break from his job in Pocatello. Their daughter, Angelina, had been here not long before. 

          Sometimes  living amongst the wildlife is frustrating, but often there are special rewards that don't come to those in the citiesl  Our deer are showing up in small groups, snacking on southern slopes that have melted down enough to provide forage.  They  are still able to find food in the fields because the snow isn't very deep.  Turkeys can really make their presence known.  An entire flock took flight off a hillside, swooped over Highway 36, landing in the fields belonging to Sam Smith.  That wasn't a sight one sees every day.  Where is that camera when you want it, one of those kind of moments.

        The youth of the community are teaming up for some winter basketball, competition within the wards of the Preston North LDS Stake.   They play their games at the stake center in Preston, but the practices are at the recreation hall of the LDS Ward.  This is a weekly event and most years there is a pretty good fan support from parents and friends of the teams.  There is both a girls' team and a boys', so most everyone who wants to play gets the opportunity.
        I chose this new background for the blog  because it made me feel like the winter nights in Mink Creek.  A beautiful dark sky that is filled with stars,  headlights of cars traveling our length on Highway 36 that just happens to be our "Main Street."  I had to change the text color so I hope it meets with your approval.